I’ve definitely read that the beard is associated with the 13 midos of rachamim.
There’s a really thick sefer on beards. I never opened it, and I don’t have access to it. But I’m sure it explains everything there.
I don’t know the whole story with the Ramchal at all. I was just putting out what I heard.
jewishness: Why does something kabbalistic sound ‘shady’?
cherrybim: because that was the minhag and since following minhagei kabballah is also not halacha it seems they opted to not be poresh from the klal.